Mediamarmalade

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  • DOWN TOWN

    DOWN TOWN

    . TOPSHOP BOYFRIEND SHORTS .
    You will have come to realise by now, especially if you’ve been reading my blog since the beginning, that these dear Topshop shorts are one of my old time favourites. As soon as the sun hits they come out my wardrobe and serve me well until the sunshine has sadly departed again for another year. They’re not only my go to short for weekend picnics or sunest dinner dates, but they’re also a firm favourite for work as well.
    . TOPSHOP SHORTS & CAMI (old) . TOPSHOP KEEPSAKE SANDALS . MODALU PHOEBE SAFFIANO TOTE ℅ .
    . LINKS OF LONDON WIMBLEDON BRACELET . DANIEL WELLINGTON SHEFFIELD .

     

    This outfit is a little number I wore to work the other week, just before heading away on holiday. The sun was beaming & the weather was so lovely and hot (in fact, it was actually the hottest day of the year) and so I wanted an outfit that was cool, chic but also office suitable. Boyfriend shorts & a simple cami were the perfect duo, finished off with comfy sandals (my Keepsakes served me well yet again) and a good sized tote for storing all my bits & bobs. I took these pictures after work (yes the sun was STILL beaming) which you can probably tell from how creased my shorts are.
    This was the first occasion I got to use my new Modalu Phoebe tote bag and it was the perfect occasion. The pastel tones went perfectly with my shoes & cami, not to mention the sunshine and clear blue skies. The bag is the perfect size for work too, fitting in all my essentials, plus the 4 stones of non essentials too.
     
    What do you think of this summer office look? How would you style shorts for work?

     

  • THE CANDY MAN CAN

    THE CANDY MAN CAN

    . FRENCH CONNECTION SWEETIE MIX DRESS .
    If you spotted this post a few weeks back then you will know that I went all out and treated myself to this brand spanking new, glitzy, sparkling, jazzy dress from French Connection. It’s a little number I spotted months ago as soon as it hit the store, but one that for a long time I admired from afar … mainly because I didn’t have an occasion to justify my splurging on it. That was until I got invited to a Summer wedding …
    . FRENCH CONNECTION SWEETIE MIX DRESS . ASOS NUDE PUMPS . MULBERRY CLUTCH .
    A dear friend of mine from University is getting married this August and finding a wedding guest outfit was something that threw me for weeks. I genuinely couldn’t work out what to wear, something appropriate, something I’d feel special in, but most importantly something that I would feel comfortable in for a full day dancing into the early hours. I didn’t want something too short, too revealing or too body con. When I spotted the French Connection Sweetie Mix Dress I instantly fell in love, I tried it on and fell in love even more (especially as I had to down size, hell yeah). After spending a couple of days debating I sprinted straight back to the Covent Garden store after work to bag my chosen dress … fortunately and unknowingly it had just that day been reduced from £225 to £112. That my friends, is what I like to call fate.
    For my wedding guest outfit I want to keep accessories to a minimum, after all this dress does a lot of speaking for itself. My ASOS nude pumps (or perhaps my new Jimmy Choo ARI pumps if I am feeling brave) and patent pink Mulberry clutch bag are perfect companions. I can’t wait for the day itself now, hopefully the sun will shine & I’ll bag myself a good tan   on holiday.
     
    Do you approve of my wedding guest attire? What do you think of my Sweetie Mix dress?
  • EFFORTFUL EFFORTLESS

    EFFORTFUL EFFORTLESS

    . OVERSIZED VS UBER FEMININE .
    Sometimes I feel really inspired when blogging to try an outfit I wouldn’t instantly throw on, or to try a combination of items which don’t naturally come together in my mind, to push my style slightly out of my ‘day to day’ comfort zone. Often i’m inspired by seeing how other bloggers or celebrities pull together outfits, or how magazines feature looks or even how people on the street are styling their clothes.

    . ZARA PINK SKIRT . TOPSHOP KEEPSAKE SANDALS . TOPSHOP WHITE SHIRT . CELINE NANO .
    Throwing on a simple oversized white shirt over a bold, A-line, super feminine mini skirt isn’t necessarily an outfit combination that I would naturally pick out of my wardrobe and throw on. It’s not a style I frequently sport, but it’s actually one I came to realise I often admire and take inspiration from. I’m forever wishing I could pull off a more effortless style, and spend hours pinning looks of other fashionista’s sporting the look to perfection, so I decided it was about time I tried to channel the style myself.
    A pink mini skirt is statement enough, so rather than team it with a chic & delicate camisole like I might normally, I decided to throw on my new Topshop shirt and channel a more ‘effortless’ look to see how it worked on me. The finishing touches were my Keepsake sandals & my Nano, and overall I absolutely loved the combination. Oversized and understated, it’s a look I am always aspiring towards and one that once I gave it ago, I was totally sold on.
     
    Are you a fan of the understated, effortless style? What do you think of this look?
  • STYLE DOWN

    STYLE DOWN


    . REISS NAVARRE SHORTS .
    Okay … it continues. Yet another shorts look, I’m sorry, well actually i’m not. I bloody love them and these Reiss Navarre shorts are probably top of my favourites list right now. Super comfortable, a fab cut and a glitzy print, these shorts have it all.
    . REISS NAVARE SHORTS . CELINE NANO . FRENCH CONNECTION SWEATER .

     

    I styled theses shorts up last week on my blog in a slightly more dressy outfit, teamed with heeled sandals & a simple cami, but half the reason I love shorts is because they equally rock styled down to the most minimalistic level. In fact sometimes the contradiction of feminine tailored shorts with a laid back oversized sweater can be far more chic than an overly well thought out look.

    Last weekend I spent Saturday and Sunday hanging out with friends having brunch, shopping in Richmond & generally pottering round running errands, this outfit was the perfect look for the day, simple, effortless, comfortable but still chic. I teamed my Navarre shorts with my Daniel Footwear slip ons & my French Connection light grey sweater which I picked up earlier this year. The sweater is a cropped number so works perfectly with the high waist tailored shorts.

     
    Are you a fan of styling down your smart or innately dressy items? What do you think of this look?
  • KEEP IT CASUAL

    KEEP IT CASUAL

    . ZARA FLORAL SHORTS .
    It’s probably fair to say that I basically live in shorts now. I’m not sure what’s happened to me this year, but shorts have become my number one summer companion. My collection has vastly expanded and i’m now opting for a pair of shorts for day time looks & nights out too. The versatility is mega.
    . ZARA SHORTS . DOROTHY PERKINS CAMI . CELINE NANO . DANIEL FOOTWEAR SLIP ONS .
    These floral shorts are actually one half of my Zara short suit which I featured in an outfit post here a week or so ago. The best thing about the short and jacket from this co-ord set is that they work as standalone pieces as well as together. The short suit makes for a really chic evening look, but styling the shorts alone with a simple pair of slip ons & a cute cami ticks all my ‘summer day time’ boxes plus could work for a laid back office look.
    I styled my shorts for a day in the sunshine with my Daniel Footwear slip ons and my Dorothy Perkins navy cami. The finishing touch was Lady Nano who instantly jazzes up any outfit. This outfit has joined me in Crete and makes for the perfect evening cocktail look, i may just swap the slip ons for my new office heels to give it a dressy vibe.
     
    Which look do you prefer, the laid back shorts look or the dressy two piece?
  • HOLIDAY READY

    HOLIDAY READY

    . HOLIDAY PACKING .
    As you may have already gathered from my incessant mentions over the last week or so, I am currently out of the country lapping up some well needed sunshine & rest in Agios Nikolaos. I haven’t (and don’t ever) done a pre holiday shop per se, my wardrobe is continually being added to throughout the season, but I have treated myself (and been treated to) a couple of new bits which are perfect for my summer break.
    . TRIANGL WINNIE BIKINI $89 ? . KINDLE PAPERWHITE £109 . ARIZONA BIRKENSTOCKS £65 .

     

    First of all my Kindle, a Kindle is something i’ve debated buying myself many times, but as I love books so much i’ve always resisted. After booking my holiday this year, i went through my usual ‘shall I, shan’t i’ debate and this time decided to give it a go. A friend said they might buy nook ereader rather than paperwhite so I looked into the Nook but, spurred on by a £20 kindle discount Amazon were offering, I bought myself the paper-white edition of the e-reader. It was far smaller than I imagined once it arrived (significantly smaller than my iPad mini for example) but actually since using it over the last week, it’s actually the perfect size and so light and easy to carry. I am a book fiend so the prospect of buying any book at one click has been a revolution, abeit i’ve probably spent a small fortune downloading everything and anything I fancy reading. I usually take about 6 books on holiday with me, which is pretty hefty, the Kindle quite naturally makes this so much easier, plus leaves more room for shoes …
    On the shoes point, I’ve also treated myself to a pair of Birkenstocks, I’ve picked the real leather (not the Birko-Flor version which are faux leather) arizona sandal which i’ve spied many a fashionista sporting. The ugly sandal is just that, but there’s something seriously understated chic about them too. I spent a long time debating, particularly as they are £65 which isn’t cheap for a sandal, but after seeing some seriously cool looks featuring the birkenstock I decided to give in and treat myself to the black pair. I debated the white Arizona’s for a long time too, but in the end decided the blacks were more classic and would work with more looks. They’re uber comfy & i’m super pleased I treated myself, i’ll be living in these over the next 11 days.
    The final edition to my summer wardrobe is this gorgeous new Triangl bikini which the fab team over at Triangl have sent me for my holiday. I’ve seen a lot of buzz around the brand this summer and i’m not surprised, the collection is super cool & the bikini’s themselves are a step above the standard high street designs & quality. Mostly due to the ‘scuba’ material they’re made with, which creates a really structured shape which won’t stretch or sag on the beach. I opted for the Winnie printed bandeau bikini which I thought was just so cool. My sister’s actually treated herself to one of their numbers too. I can’t wait to pop this on tomorrow morning and hit the beach … keep your eye out for it on Instagram :)
    What do you think of my new holiday purchases? Do you have a Kindle – are there any books you recommend I download?
  • MY 1000th BLOG POST: WELLBEING

    MY 1000th BLOG POST: WELLBEING

    . PMA & WELLBEING .
    Todays blog post happens to be my 1000th blog. Which is pretty insane to say the least, and also means i’ve been blogging for 1000 days, seeing as I’ve blogged daily since 30th October 2011. In honour of this monumental moment, I thought I would share a slightly different post today, something a little more lifestyle and maybe inspirational. I hope you enjoy …
    Positive mental attitude. A mantra I try and live by daily, because after all if we all try and keep a more positive outlook on life, life itself becomes more positive, happy and enjoyable & we become more able to cope with negative situations because we’re in a more stable and positive position in our lives. Whether you’re in college or whether you’re starting a new job, I hope this post will benefit you. It’s absolutely something that is easier said than done, that’s for sure, but keeping positive is one thing I think we all need to be doing in our lives, as Arriana Huffington would tell us, it’s this positive outlook which helps boost & build our wellbeing. And wellbeing is critical to life success.
    Now i’m no preacher, i’ve not studied this nor read a ton of self help books, i’ve just listened to a couple of inspiring industry speakers – Arianna Huffinton & Susie Pearl most recently, plus practiced & discussed with friends frequently so I wanted to share my favourite tips for keeping things positive in what can be a rather overwhelming, tiring, exhausting and somewhat challenging life. Given my work situation, my daily blog, family, friends and boyfriend juggling act, I find myself frequently getting run down, stressed and even ill from it all … so looking after my own wellbeing has become my number 1 agenda lately.

    FIVE THINGS: Perhaps the easiest way to start your day with a positive attitude is to wake up and think about five things you really appreciate in your life, or just this day. It could range from having your morning coffee to appreciating the sunshine beaming through the window, or having a family there who love and support you. Whatever it is, big or small, just think about five things you feel grateful for. Even spending 10 seconds doing this has already filled your brain with positive and happy thoughts, kicking your day off to a pretty good start from the outset. Having a positive wellbeing not only will make your day more enjoyable and happy, but also helps productivity & general efficiency, plus generally helps you deal with whatever life throws at you this day.
    BE OUTSIDE: Being outside is something that really works for me, a tiny thing to add to your day, but by gosh taking a moment to pop outside reboots me like no coffee could ever do. I love the outside, the seaside and most of all the sunshine, and even though I can’t pop to the beach every day to unwind, even just taking a walk to get my lunch every day helps me chill out a bit, plus catch some sun rays on route. When the sun is out I urge you all to take your lunch outside, pop to the park and have a picnic with work friends, or even sit in the garden to have your morning coffee. Being outside, people watching, taking some fresh air, and absorbing some vitamin D is hard to not make you feel content and relaxed.
    APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS: I think this is something us bloggers are particularly good at doing, after all we spend most our days seeking out instagram worthy experiences or locations to document on our social media channels. Pretty streets, blossoming flowers, a good looking and well presented lunch, an iced coffee walking to work, your outfit for the day, the sun shining through the clouds or even the view from the bus. All these little things, which we forever take for advantage, can bring a little happiness or content to our day. I urge you to picture 5 things each day which you like, love, or feel inspired by. Documenting these happy moments and spending a few seconds to admire the little things can really help :)
    PLAN THINGS WITH LOVED ONES: Spending time with friends, family, boyfriends, your dog, or even yourself can be the most difficult thing in the world. After all we all have incredible busy and demanding days – i’m at work until 8pm most days, spend my evenings writing blog posts & spend 2 hours commuting on the tube each day. But it’s spending time with loved ones, or even alone doing things that make you happy that makes life itself, and it’s these people that make you laugh and feel happy. We must spend more time enjoying life and the people in it. So make sure you schedule time in your busy old days to do this, even though you may be feeling exhausted or have a to – do list as long as the bible … spending time doing and seeing the things & people you love is far more important. I try and schedule a couple of post work dinners in during the week to hang with my friends, unwind after work and ensure i leave work at a reasonable time, Jase and I try and nip out for brunch or a coffee at the weekends to spend some time out together, and spending weekends getting out of london to see family & ‘home friends’ is always on our agenda. It’s easy to be ‘too busy’ but even 20 minutes between other plans is enough to grab a cup of tea with a loved one. Don’t sacrifice your life because work is demanding … if you don’t keep this work life balance in order you’ll just wear yourself out & naturally feel less happy.
    LOOK AFTER YOU: The thing i’m absolutely the worst at. But something i’m working really hard to rectify. Looking after yourself is of the utmost importance and can be so easy to neglect. I read a really good quote a while back which said treat yourself as you would your children … basically give yourself the love, care and attention that you would other people. That means watering yourself, treating yourself, exercising & monitoring your health, putting yourself to bed on time, listening to your body, feeding yourself properly & most importantly giving yourself a little love and attention. A 30 minute evening pamper would be an absolute treat, so why not do it every so often. I am forever forgetting to drink water, i’m forever eating gluten even though i’m intolerant and it makes me ill, I’m always letting myself get stressed which brings on crippling migraines, and I can often forget to treat myself to a little time out. So i’ve made a pact with myself to sort this out … a bottle of water in my bag in the morning, squeezing some pilates time in my diary (not succeeded yet), playing netball again (next on the to-do list), cutting out gluten (making a world of difference for me) and reading books on my commute to work (seriously chills me out and makes my commute far more enjoyable). I’ve also been treating myself to a few new purchases, as retail therapy genuinely works for me, and buying my favourite magazines to read over a cup of tea. My blog is another thing which really makes me happy and relaxed, so I love to spend an hour each evening working on new posts or even reading my favourite posts from the day, this little bit of time out takes me out of work mode, into down time. And boring or not, hitting the hay at 1030pm in the week so I get a good amount of sleep each night … it really makes the world of difference.
    All these things combined really help me keep a positive, de-stressed, and happy attitude to life, they’re not ground breaking, nor are they exclusive tips, they’re just a couple of things that work for me (and I know they work for a few others too). I should also point out they’re far easier said than done, and I of course still find myself eating naughty treats or getting stressed due to moronic work requests … but it’s all part of life, the point is more about having a good well being, so they don’t get too much for you to manage.
    There’s no point over thinking all the things you’re going to do to improve your wellbeing, nor adding so many things that it becomes overwhelming to even try and achieve, that would be totally counter intuitive. It’s really about picking a couple of things you love & making sure you give yourself some time to enjoy them, stop being so hard on yourself & taking the time to appreciate the little things.
    It’s fair to say that a positive outlook does make things better, so I think it’s about time we all give ourselves a little T&C & make sure we pay attention to our own well being.
    Have you enjoyed reading this sort of post? Do you look after yourself? What are your tips for keeping positive and happy?

  • THE RIPPED DENIM DIARY

    THE RIPPED DENIM DIARY

    . WHISTLES DENIM JEANS .
    I’m keeping things low key and comfortable today on the blog, after all today’s all about last minute packing and jet-setting my way out for 11 nights in the sun, sea and sand. When I travel I don’t like to slum it, i’m no onesie traveler (I actually was on the same flight as JB from JLS back in March and all the girls were in onesies), but I do like to keep things comfortable. Jeans and a simple top are my staple travel wear.
    . WHISTLES DENIM JEANS . LK BENNETT FLORETE PUMPS . MODALU TWIGGY BAG . ASOS BLOUSE . 

     

    I’ve glammed this simple denim look up slightly with my incredible LK Bennett pumps & my Modalu twiggy bag, but otherwise the outfit is low key and effortless. These Whistles ripped jeans despite looking freakin’ awesome are actually my comfiest jean I own. The cut &  fit is perfect for my shape making them unbelievably comfortable to wear. The blouse is a little number from ASOS which I picked up a little while ago, it’s great teamed with a skinny jean & actually looks quite smart despite the fact it was a total bargain (£30).
    The Modalu Twiggy Bag & LK Bennett pumps are a cheeky little upgrade to this look, naturally whilst at the airport i’d swap for a pair of slip ons, but it’s always handy to keep a sleek pair of pumps on you just in case the airport turns into champagne & oysters. My little Twiggy crossover bag is the perfect evening companion but also great for carrying essentials – passport, phone, dollar.
     
    What do you think of this denim look? Are you a fan of the ripped jean? 
  • POWER DRESSING

    POWER DRESSING

    . POWER DRESSING FOR WORK .
    Power dressing for work is actually one of my little guilty pleasures, as bizarre as it sounds, putting on an outfit that makes you feel darned good gives you a whole ton of confidence and ‘feel good’ motivation is key when you have a tricky or daunting situation to deal with. A couple of weeks ago I had a pretty big meeting with some very senior client bods, also ironically a very male orientated situation, being the only girl (and relatively young for my position also) I wanted to wear something for the meeting that would make me feel confident, comfortable but importantly look professional. Power dressing works for any situation, work or pleasure, it’s about putting on an outfit that makes you feel ‘boom boom pow’, for whatever occasion that might be, for me this look was all about power dressing for work.

    . ASOS CIGARETTE TROUSERS . ZARA CAMI . OFFICE GARLAND SANDALS . CELINE NANO .

     

    I wanted to channel a chic androgynous vibe for the meeting, but still dress in something I love & something innately feminine too. My cigarette trousers are an easy win for this sort of look, smart yet totally chic when worn the right way.  I teamed my ASOS off white cigarette trousers with a simple nude camisole (tucked in of course) & finished the look with my understated, very comfortable, and totally chic garland sandals from Office. Not pictured here, but I also teamed the look with my Zara crew neck green coat (worked perfectly). Of course there’s nothing like finishing a look with a designer bag to make you feel all the more fabulous too.
    The look was top to toe off white, very feminine but still looked professional & smart. The outfit gave me confidence & made me feel good, which is what power dressing is all about. Whilst I wore this for work last week, it’s also an outfit I’d absolutely sport outside of work too, in fact Jase seriously loved this look and actually said it was one of his favourites yet. Crazy eh, whether it’s the outfit itself, or the confidence I had wearing it, it seemed to work either way.
     
    What’s your ‘Power Dressing’ tricks for work? Are you a fan of this take on a slightly more androgynous look?